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This invention generally relates to improvements in computer systems and more particularly to a system for routing video information between multimedia components.
Multimedia is perhaps the fastest growing application for computer systems. Increasingly, users are employing computers to present graphic, sound and imaging information to end users. Users are increasingly demanding ergonomic interfaces for managing multimedia presentations. In the past, a time matrix and programming language were used to implement a multimedia presentation. However, simulating a mixing board to enable the presentation of music or sound with the display of information as a multimedia presentation unfolded was not possible.
Examples of current multimedia systems that do not have the capability of the subject invention are Apple""s QuickTime(trademark) and Microsoft""s Video for Windows as described in the March issue of NEWMEDIA, xe2x80x9cIt""s Showtimexe2x80x9d, pp. 36-42 (1993). The importance of obtaining a solution to the routing problem encountered in the prior art is discussed in the March issue of IEEE Spectrum, xe2x80x9cInteractive Multimediaxe2x80x9d, pp. 22-31 (1993); and xe2x80x9cThe Technology Frameworkxe2x80x9d, IEEE Spectrum, pp. 32-39 (1993). The articles point out the importance of an aesthetic interface for controlling multimedia productions.
Accordingly, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a system and method for connecting, routing and filtering video, multimedia information throughout the course of a multimedia presentation using a computer with a storage and a display. A processor in the system has an attached storage and an attached display under the control of the processor. A plurality of multimedia objects are created in the storage and displayed on the display. A connecting object is also created in the storage and displayed on the display for use in connecting a multimedia objects to a video object. Finally, information is routed between the multimedia object and the video object via the connecting object.